Even though the dirt-track racing season was shut down for more than two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, young Dillon McCowan already has enjoyed an action-packed and productive 2020.

The 16-year-old from Urbana started the year with a trip to the Wild West Shootout in Arizona with some solid runs. A couple of weeks ago, he realized a life-long goal of picking up his first feature victory at Lucas Oil Speedway - though it wasn't exactly as he would have scripted it. More on that in a bit.

And just this week, McCowan ran with the USMTS Modified big dogs for the first time at Lucas Oil Speedway's Wednesday Night Madness. He failed to make the feature, but called it another big step in his racing education.

"It was a lot of fun, getting to run with those guys," McCowan said after driving a car - which is not his B-Mod - for only the second time. After struggling in a heat race, he advanced five spots in the B-Main to finish ninth - one spot in front of former NASCAR racer and short-track pro Ken Schrader.

"It was a good time. We went from a deadly push in the heat race to actually passing some cars in the B," McCowan said. "Honestly, an experience like that just helps a lot with my confidence. It'll help my B-Mod, with my driving style, after getting to run with those guys. There's a lot I can take from that."

McCowan has been fast every time out in the B-Mod at Lucas Oil Speedway. With three straight top-five finishes, he holds a two-point lead over JC Morton in the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mod division. Next up is Saturday's Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series event Presented by TA/Petro along with ThunderBurst Media as the B-Mods will headline the action with a 25-lap, $750-to-win feature sponsored by Rains Ice.

One of the region's rising young stars earned his first Lucas Oil Speedway victory two weeks ago, but didn't know it until several minutes after the fans had gone home. He took the checkers second to Ryan Gillmore, but Gillmore's car failed to pass post-race technical inspection.

While taking home the first-place trophy was nice, McCowan didn't get to enjoy the smiles and spoils of victory lane and the cheers that come with it.

"It wasn't the way I wanted my first win to go there. I hated it for Ryan," said McCowan, who got his racing start in dirt bikes at the age of five before moving to go-kart racing at seven. He entered Mini-Stock and Midwest Mod Racing at 12 and got into a B-Mod for the first time in 2018 at several area tracks.

USRA B-Mod points leader Dillon McCowan battles it out with J.C. Morton during last week's feature race. (GS Stanek Racing Photography)

McCowan won the Lebanon Midway Speedway B-Mod track championship last year and wound up fifth in points at Lucas Oil Speedway in his black-and-green No. 8.

"I wasn't really enjoying it right there at the track," McCowan said when informed of his first official feature win at Wheatland. "I've always wanted to win there, ever since I was a little kid. When I do get my first real win there, I'm going to be over-the-top excited. It'll be pretty cool."

McCowan, who pilots a Rage chassis driven last year by two-time reigning USRA national champion Kris Jackson, appeared to be on his way to victory last week. He led through the first eight laps before clipping an infield tire in turn four and spinning as Morton and Andy Bryant were closing in behind him.

A points disaster was averted, though, as McCowan rallied for a fifth-place finish. He took blame for the spin and hopes to learn from it.

"I kind of saw JC on my outside and I was trying to miss a little bump and got a little too low and clipped the tire," McCowan said.

McCowan said his plan is to just keep plugging away and putting himself in position to win.

"It sure is tough competition. I don't think you can find any better guys to race with anywhere than what's there," McCowan said. "They are stacked all the way through the field."

Gates are scheduled to open at 4 p.m. Saturday with hot laps at 6:30 and opening ceremonies at 7. The Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models, Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds and O'Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks also will be in action.

Ticket prices:
Adults (16 and over): $12
Seniors (62 and over)/Military: $9
Youth (ages 6-15): $5
Kids (5 and under): FREE
Family Pass: $30
Pit Pass: $30

For ticket questions or information for any event this season, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or email her at nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com for more information.